Star Shaped Press in Ravenswood is part business and part museum.
During this year's Small Business Saturday, customers not only looked at the studio's greeting cards, prints and posters, but saw the 100-year-old machinery that went into making them.
As part of the craft of letterpress printing, ink is applied to engraved metal or wooden blocks referred to as 'type', which are then pressed onto paper. The most impressive thing about the store was the electric-powered pressing machine that is operated in part by turning a giant rubber wheel.
Another attraction are the work boxes: wooden “mobile type” boxes or individual letters neatly placed in drawers.
Sure, Jane Farrell, owner of Star Shaped Press, can create her products digitally, but she said she enjoys the tangible nature of the work. She is passionate about keeping a historically significant practice alive. For 25 years, it has been serving residents and organizations in the Chicago area using authentic tools of the trade.
“I feel like 95 percent of the people who email or call want something because of the process,” said Farrell, 48, who lives in Albany Park. “We are preserving a craft that is hundreds of years old.”
Although Johannes Gutenberg is credited with developing letterpress printing during the 15th century in present-day Germany, the origins of movable type go back to Asia. The craft has seen a resurgence over the past two decades, Farrell said, and she is part of a community of people who print for a living in the Chicago area.
Farrell's interest in this process arose in college. She originally studied web design at DePaul University before transferring to Columbia College in Chicago, where she graduated with a degree in graphic design.
“When I was in school, it was all about web design,” she said. “And I say, ‘I kind of hate this. “I want something tangible.”
She gained experience in letterpress printing at Fireproof Press in Bucktown, where she produced music covers, posters and stationery. When the business closed, she struck out on her own, amassing a collection of vintage equipment over the years.
“A lot of people will say, ‘You can get the press, all you have to do is take it somewhere,'” she said with a laugh. “It's still a common refrain.”
Star Shaped Press does not operate as a traditional storefront, but customers can stop by the studio to pick up orders placed online at starshaped.com. People can also take a peek inside during the Holiday Open House on December 14.
In addition to creativity, Pharrell has also taught others the craft. She said she especially enjoyed preparing women to work in the male-dominated field.
“We've had some really great people come in and work here and then go on to start their own stores,” she said.
One of those former interns is Rachel Steinbach, owner of Current Location Press, who is currently setting up a new studio in Hyde Park.
“She is very generous with her time, her skills and her experience,” Steinbach said of Farrell. “Jane always said, ‘There is enough room for all the presses to be able to create and contribute to the culture of our communities.’”
Farrell supported local communities by creating materials for small businesses such as the Spoken Cafe on Montrose Street. I designed a poster for the restaurant when it was rebranded. She also created wedding invitations for Sidonie Goode, who owns the restaurant with her husband.
“We're big history fans,” Judd said of her and her husband. “And we're both former design students, so we really appreciate it when people have a craft that they're really good at. That's one of the reasons we work with Jane. We just love the aesthetic of what she does, as well as her precision. And she's just a lovely person to work with.”
Agent Susan Snyder also spoke highly of Star Shaped Press.
“Supporting local businesses is very important to Chicago,” said Snyder, of Roscoe Village, who came to the studio Saturday to buy greeting cards and graph paper. “But I also love printmaking as an art form. It just speaks to me.”
Farrell said she has been able to maintain a living through letterpress printing, even though it is not the most lucrative career option.
“But it's comfortable,” she said. “And I love coming here. I'd rather be happy every day than make more money at a job I hate.”
